Pass the Parcel
Synopsis Safe breakers break in at Adams Brothers. One of them accidentally activates the alarm just as PC Mason passes on his motorbike. They manage to get away, but the next day their driver is found floating around dead in Whitby harbour. PC Mason suspects it's an inside job because there was an exceptionally large amount of money in the safe. Meanwhile the rest of the gang stays comfortably at the Aidensfield Arms planning how to get another crack at the safe. It is Dawn's birthday and Gina organizes a surprise party for her. But Dawn is not the only one who gets surprised. Alf and PC Younger wonders why PC Wetherby disappears every day at lunch break and Oscar Blaketon bets them £5 that he can find out in a matter of hours. He gets a surprise too... Full Summary During a break-in at a factory one of the robbers, Johnno, trips the alarm. His accomplice, Steve Hopley, sees the Police arriving and drives off in his van leaving Johnno and the third robber, Danny Riggs to escape on foot. Later, Stuart leaves his house following an argument with his wife, and comes face to face with Johnno and Danny. He flees, and hides off the edge of a nearby bridge. An unknown person approaches and pushes him into the sea below. The next morning Stuart’s body is found washed up on the beach. The Police open a murder investigation. PC Joe Mason and PC Don Wetherby find the abandoned van from the attempted robbery and inside is a bag of explosives that look to have been stolen from a quarry. They go to visit the factory where the break-in took place and the owner tells them that only someone who worked there would know that there was extra money hidden in the safe. Therefore, the Police conclude they are looking for suspects who are on the payroll. After talking to the owner’s secretary, Joe finds out that Stuart, her husband, is a credit control clerk at the factory so must have been involved in the robbery in some way. Meanwhile, PC Geoff Younger is curious as to where PC Don Wetherby keeps mysteriously disappearing off to in his lunch hour. Oscar is convinced he can crack the mystery and takes a bet from Alf to have it solved within four hours. He begins by asking Don out-right, but Don won’t give him any clues. He finds a leaflet for an Adult Education Institute that leads him to a life drawing class where Don is expected as the model. The teacher, Mrs Manners assumes Don is unable to attend and Oscar is his replacement. Before Oscar can refuse, he finds himself posing for the class. When Oscar returns to get changed his clothes have been stolen and Mrs Manners insists on calling the police. Don arrives and explains he needed to take on an extra job. They agree to keep each other’s secret, and Oscar has to forgo his bet with Alf as a result. It’s Dawn’s birthday and a fancy dress party is being set up at the Aidensfield Arms. A surprise birthday present from Dawn’s mother has arrived at the station so Gina sends David to collect it. At the station David’s dog, Deefor, sends some pigeons flying and a fire extinguisher is accidentally set off. In the disarray, the parcels are mixed up and David leaves with the wrong one. Johnno enters after him to collect a parcel of explosives for Danny so they can retry their attempt to rob the factory. Only one parcel remains, so Johnno takes it and only realises he has the wrong one when he returns to Danny. Danny is furious and sends Johnno to find the correct parcel before someone blows themselves up! Johnno tracks down David house and starts riffling through a package belonging to Peggy. Hearing some commotion, Peggy heads downstairs dressed in her fancy dress costume and is startled by Johnno’s presence. Johnno grabs her shotgun and backs away, but trips and the gun goes off, shooting Peggy in the bustle. Peggy is hurt, but it’s not serious. Johnno cuts himself on glass but disappears before the police arrive. Later, Johnno collapses and is taken to Carol’s house. Carol realises he could be the mystery man reportedly looking for a parcel and calls Joe. Carol tries to keep Johnno at her house, but leaves and heads to the Aidensfield Arms. Joe follows on to the pub and Dawn’s party is underway when he arrives. He asks Gina for the parcel collected by David and as he’s about to unwrap it, Johnno appears saying it’s full of explosives. They wrestle for the parcel, just as Danny arrives and pulls out a gun. Behind him is Janice, she is Danny’s daughter. Danny holds everyone in the Aidensfield Arms hostage and threatens to detonate the explosives. Sergeant Miller and his men are outside and ask the villains to come out. Danny gives the parcel to Dawn and ushers her outside to make his demands before heading back into the pub. Joe tries to divide the villains by warning Johnno that Danny and Janice plan to make him take the wrap for Stuart’s murder. It works, and Johnno begins to think it was Janice who actually killed Stuart. Johnno shouts at Danny and Danny reacts by shooting him. Janice doesn’t deny killing Stuart and it becomes clear she knew about the robbery and was angry that Stuart wrecked their plan and left Danny in the lurch. Sergent Miller sends PC Don Wetherby around the back of the pub. He sneaks in through the kitchen but is heard by Danny and taken hostage as well. As Danny holds the detonator to the explosives in his hands the situation in the pub looks desperate. Will Dawn’s birthday finish with an unexpected bang? Regular Cast PC Joe Mason Joe McFadden Carol Cassidy Lisa Kay David Stockwell David Lonsdale Peggy Armstrong Gwen Taylor Sgt. George Miller John Duttine PC Don Wetherby Rupert Ward-Lewis PC Geoff Younger Steve Blakeley Alf Ventress William Simons Oscar Blaketon Derek Fowlds Dawn Bellamy Nikki Sanderson Gina Bellamy Tricia Penrose Bernie Scripps Peter Benson Guest Stars Stuart Hopley Will Willoughby Danny Riggs James Gaddas Johnno Hartson Andrew Sheridan Janice Hopley Sian Breckin Brian Drabble Neil Conrich [[Harry Adams]] Christopher Chilton [[Trevor Harris]] Bill Thomas [[Constance Manners]] Elizabeth Rider [[Elvis Impersonator]] Lee Jackson Category:Episodes Category:Series Eighteen